Week One

Opus Project- Week One Submission- January 28, 2009
Artifact
An artifact is any item in the environment of a human. Artifacts can be any element of life than can be captured and described. Artifacts are concrete, but should possess elements that are beyond the physical. Artifacts often serve as symbols for societies that may not be obvious from description of their physical appearance.

Story-
A story is the historical portrait painted by the combining of artifacts that make up everyday life. In a story, it is important to consider more than the artifacts. One must be sure to investigate the symbols and meanings that make up the artifact.

Translation
Translation occurs when stories are investigated by people of different backgrounds and interpreted to fit their lives. Translation is useful when societies with different needs from one another are investigating stories. If a designer is to create a building that has “commodity, firmness and delight,” they must consider their needs and look past literal story with a critical eye for elements that can be used to fulfill the definition of “good” architecture.

Multiple Views
Multiple Views of a building show the complete building and are useful when looking at architecture in detail. In class, we discussed the Nautilus shell. We discussed how the shell has: furnishing, material, color and light, time (fourth dimension), sections (3rd dimension) and a meeting of the inside and outside (architecture and design).

Cycle
Cycle, in architecture, refers to the integration of the above four terms to create a self-sustaining process. This concept resonated with me. The earth is the sum of its parts; it is not able to survive without all of the parts working in harmony. As we go through time, we learn to adapt so that the earth’s cycle can stay harmonious. Often we are stuck trying to fix a mess we created, but that is what the concept of cycle is about. We learn from out mistakes and work to correct them for the future.


My Investigative Pictures-
Outside of class I struggled to wrap my brain around the section of reading that discussed the classical orders of columns. Though the book gave a hand drawn example of what each of the five classical orders looks like I still had problems creating the image of each column in my own mind.

http://media.wiley.com/assets/19/02/0-7645-5396-6_0801.jpg
• Roth- pg 30- Three parts of any distinct entablature
• Architrave-Arch beam-the blower section
• Triglyph-stylized beam-ends and Metopes- sculpted infill panels. Alternate in middle section


http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/arts/Architec/MiddleAgesArchitectural/ClassicalArchitecture/ArchitectureGreekTemple/doric.jpg
Roth- pg 30- Doric Column- largest order, 4- 61/2 times the diameter of the column. Shaft rises from the stylobate. Has no base.
• Doric entablature
• Flute- scallops on the shaft of column
• Capital-top of column
o Echinus- outward swelling necking
o Abacus-square slab


http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/ij/images/ionic_order.jpg
Roth- pg 31- Ionic
• 24 flute shaft
• Entablature 1/5 the height of column
• Architrave of t-3 horizontal surfaces with a middle frieze
• Capital
o Volutes
• Frieze-continuous band of narrative sculpture



http://classicalstudies.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/cor.gif
Roth-Pg31-Corinthian
• Column 10 times the height of its diameter.
• 24 flutes
• Capital is the tallest of the orders with 2-3 concentric bands of outward curling leaves.
• Entablature similar to the Ionic order


• http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Queenperth.jpg

• Roth- pg 32- Composite
• Places the volutes of the Ionic capital atop the curled leaves of the Corinthian.